


Just Like Starting Over

by opalmatrix



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Meetings, M/M, Speed Dating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-01
Updated: 2014-05-01
Packaged: 2018-01-21 12:32:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1550564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/opalmatrix/pseuds/opalmatrix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hakkai didn't expect much from the speed dating session, but in fact, it wasn't a complete waste of time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Like Starting Over

**Author's Note:**

  * For [indelicateink](https://archiveofourown.org/users/indelicateink/gifts).



> Written for indelicateink's Drive-By Pocket-Sized Four-Day Challenge, April 25-28, 2014. Prompt was: "Saiyuki, modern-day AU, Gojyo and widower!Hakkai meet on a blind date or speed-dating event."

At first, Hakkai had been bemused at the idea that an event that lasted less than an hour could possibly allow him to make a decision about any woman, let alone seven of them. However, after the first twenty minutes, he had already dismissed two.

"Well," said the current candidate, sweetly, "I guess you've had a tough time of it, honey. But I'd be really happy to take a stab at making you smile again."

_A stab._ Hakkai winced inwardly, although he hoped that his smiling face didn't show it. _What a very poor choice of words._ She was a pleasant-looking woman with streaked blonde hair and a short, tight blue dress. He never wanted to see her again.

It had probably been a mistake to try something like this so soon. It was less than a year since Kanan had died, after all.

The chime went off, signaling a change in partners. Hakkai stood up, relieved. "Good luck, miss."

"Amber," she corrected, vexed, but Hakkai was already striding to the next little table in the hotel conference room. This one was a curvaceous brunette with dark eyes, a sternly handsome face, and a fashionable navy blue suit. "Maddy Miller," she said briskly. "I'm an attorney with Dore, Garrett, and Slate. What do you do?"

"I teach English literature and writing at the community college," said Hakkai, truthfully, and watched her eyes lose their avid focus. They were both relieved when the chime rang again and released them from their painful attempts to find common ground for small talk.

"Seven Seven-minute Dates" was how the organizers had billed the event. Hakkai had never realized how long seven minutes could be. He wondered how the other men in the room were faring. They mostly looked like lawyers and accountants. Hakkai, in his cords and tweed jacket, was the odd one out, but not the oddest: just behind him in the rotation, he realized, was a lanky young man with shoulder-length red hair, wearing a black leather jacket and tight jeans that made his legs seem to go on forever.

As the chime went off for the final time, Hakkai felt as though he'd come to the end of a long and tedious journey, even though his last candidate was much the nicest, a slim yet busty young woman who was a radiation treatment specialist at the Leventhal Clinical Center. "Perhaps we might have coffee sometime," he said politely, and even meant it. She smiled at him and nodded.

The organizers went over the followup procedures and dismissed the clients. Hakkai left as hurriedly as he could without looking (he hoped) as though he were escaping. But as he walked through the lobby, he saw that the leggy redhead in the leather jacket was ahead of him. Hakkai slowed down just a bit to avoid catching up to him. However, the other man seemed to be parked in the same section of the lot, because he continued to walk ahead of Hakkai all the way to Hakkai's jeep. Then he stopped and lit up a cigarette.

Oh. Hakkai had not realized that he had parked just outside the smoking exclusion zone around the entrance to the hotel. The redhead was drawing on his cigarette with a focus and enjoyment that indicated a nicotine addict who'd been without his fix for longer than he liked. Hakkai shrugged and unlocked the jeep. The other man looked around at the sound and grinned, clearly recognizing Hakkai from the speed dating session.

"So, any luck?"

"Not really, no. "

"That last one you were with had a really fantastic rack."

Hakkai cringed a little inwardly, although the redhead's decsription was as accurate as it was crude. "Well … yes."

The redhead chuckled. "She's too classy for a punk like me, right? She's practically a doctor. Did I hear you say you're a college professor? You should have a good chance with her."

"She was rather nice," admitted Hakkai. "What about you?"

The redhead sucked on his cigarette for a moment, then shrugged. "About half of 'em would've been happy to go off with me at a party, but this set up was for cruising husband material, right? Even that bleached blonde one wasn't interested in a guy who works construction as a long-term prospect. Those were ambitious chicks." He looked off into the darkness beyond the parking lot, his broad shoulders and the corners of his wide mouth drooping a little. The lot's floodlights highlighted his profile, which was strong and yet elegant, and picked out two long, thin parallel scars on his visible cheekbone.

"Well," Hakkai said, awkwardly, "Good luck."

The redhead looked back at him, smiling again. It was easy to see why women were attracted to him. "Hey, a jeep! How do you like it?"

"Very much. What about you? Which one is your car?"

"Don't have one right now. I have a Harley, but I didn't bring it. I came by bus from work, but I can walk home. It's only a mile."

"Well," said Hakkai, feeling rather daring: "I could give you a lift."

"Hey, wow: that'd be great."

Hakkai climbed into the jeep and reached across to open the passenger door. The redhead slid into the seat, his knees almost up against the dashboard, and pulled the door shut. "Buckle up," said Hakkai. "By the way, my name's Hakkai Cho."

"Gojyo Shaw," answered his passenger, following Hakkai's order. "Hey, Hakkai?"

"Yes?"

"It's only just a little past nine, and there's nothin' good on tonight, right? You wanna get a drink? I know a really nice little bar, more like a pub. It's a good place to talk."

Hakkai looked over at Gojyo. His handsome face wore a charming, easy smile, but there was something a little pleading, a little hungry, in those dark eyes. It was the look Hakkai knew well: the look of someone who wasn't ready to go home to an empty room, an empty bed.

Or an empty life. Like Hakkai's.

"A drink sounds wonderful, actually," said Hakkai.

Perhaps it wasn't too soon to rejoin life after all.

 


End file.
